Wet shaving thread.
- Thread starter GilaMinumBeer
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Yep thats probably another "mistake" I made, going for the long strokes to get rid of as much as possible in one hit instead of the beard reduction I keep reading about
. All in all it was a good shave and if this is what I can expect from my first go I can't wait to see what a little practice will get me 
Beezy
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I gave up. Beard ftw.
azscoob
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My father once said to me "why cultivate on your face what grows wild on your a$$?" I have fallen into this mindset for the most part, I have a goatee at the behest of my wife because when I'm clean shaven she says I look like a kid.
I just can't imagine shaving being so horrible that I had to resort to looking like Jeremiah Johnson.
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I am the same. I rock a goat and sport a bald head. I look silly like a kid without the facial hair and the **** that grows on my head makes a toupee look fancy.
I have tried a full beard and a partial beard (shaved neck) and I just feel, gross.
CHefJohnboyardee
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i used to do a full beard with shaved necked and then kept it trimmed short for the restaurant work...
its a little too hot in the summer and i would find myself wanting to scratch my face and contaminate my hands a lot... winter = beard. summer = smooth!
its a little too hot in the summer and i would find myself wanting to scratch my face and contaminate my hands a lot... winter = beard. summer = smooth!
android
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us goatee wearers have a decided advantage when it comes to DE/SE shaving. we don't have to mess with the delicate areas around the lips and chin when shaving. best of both worlds, IMHO.
Beezy
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No offense but you will probably hate me anyway... Goatee is kind of the new mullet. I suppose if you are over 35 thats ok and I am but I still feel like a 90s reject with one on. Even a moustache is cooler now. I like the beard tho. I just go down to a 3 for the warm months then let it go for football and hockey season. I look like grizzley adams its awesome.
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I'm 37, been married for 13, have 2 toddler kids, 2 mortgages, and have had a Goatee for as long as I can remember being able to grow one.
New mullet? Who gives a bless? I'm not one to follow the trends in grooming or clothing.
Beezy
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GilaMinumBeer said:
You don't have to either. You can wear a mullet too. If you are married with children who cares if the chicks laugh at you? My wife likes the goatee, I told her I can't do it anymore. I suck at fashion too believe me. Jeans and tshirt.
azscoob
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I think the downside to sporting a beard currently is that every college guy is rocking a dirty, scraggly, terrorist-looking beard and aviator sunglasses.
I can appreciate a solid beard, as long as it is maintained, it makes all the difference between class and unabomber-esque
I can appreciate a solid beard, as long as it is maintained, it makes all the difference between class and unabomber-esque
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I really liked the look of the beard Jeff Bridges wore in Iron Man. Had a look of maturity and sophistication without any of that Adirondak appeal.
Tried it. Hated it. I always felt dirty, grungy, and oily. Like a solid days highway ride on motorcycle. Blech.
azscoob
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If it were 118° there and you worked in the heat, would you wear a beard?
izatt82
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but scoob it's a dry heat. i don't know so far my beard only comes out in the winter and normally by summer time i can't stand it any more. we'll see this year.
CHefJohnboyardee
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I was sporting a friendly for a while... people kept saying how that i need a motorcycle to be able to wear one.
i shaved it off because we had a corporate inspection and i had to actually wear chef whites...
i shaved it off because we had a corporate inspection and i had to actually wear chef whites...
Beezy
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You get used to the beard. I would feel strange without one now.
dataz722
Well-Known Member
I would like to try.
CHefJohnboyardee
Well-Known Member
would love to... don't want to shell out the money to maintain one...
android
Well-Known Member
i did for years, and if maintained correctly, gives the best shave IMHO. but the DE/SE are a close second. straight razor shaving is a blast, but a little more maintenance is involved. i'm in the process of getting my straights back up to par so i can start using them again.
azscoob
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I would love to give a straight a try, I have no idea what all I would need to buy though.
They make straight razors that have disposable blades, I go to a barbershop that uses them. It would be a good way to try it out with out investing in a strap and a quality razor.
CHefJohnboyardee
Well-Known Member
technique on a DE isn't too hard but its very similar to sharpening knives... at least thats how i looked at it.
youtube has some videos. badgerandblade.com has a lot of helpful stuff as well.
getting into DE can be super cheap. i got a new razor, sampler pack of blades, brush and soap shipped for $60 going low end. you can ebay/junk shop a lot stuff. your local pharmacy may even surprise you.
on a different note, thumbs up to personna reds and thumbs down to the merkur blade that came with my 1904.
youtube has some videos. badgerandblade.com has a lot of helpful stuff as well.
getting into DE can be super cheap. i got a new razor, sampler pack of blades, brush and soap shipped for $60 going low end. you can ebay/junk shop a lot stuff. your local pharmacy may even surprise you.
on a different note, thumbs up to personna reds and thumbs down to the merkur blade that came with my 1904.
I blame ya'll.
I now have en route:
A Gillette Fatboy
A Gillette Tech
A sample pack of razors (Feathers, Astra Platinum, Red Personnas, Derby Extras, Crystals)
A Badger Brush from Tweezerman (reviews well and cheap)
Acca Kappa 1869 Almond Shaving Cream
I now have en route:
A Gillette Fatboy
A Gillette Tech
A sample pack of razors (Feathers, Astra Platinum, Red Personnas, Derby Extras, Crystals)
A Badger Brush from Tweezerman (reviews well and cheap)
Acca Kappa 1869 Almond Shaving Cream
Congrats on the purchases!
I'm not a big fan of Derby's and I can't afford Feathers. Sharks and Personas are my favorites. The Tweezerman is a great first brush that I use every day.
Look into an alum block for the inevitable nicks, can be had on Amazon for reasonable cost and much better than a styptic.
Much like brewing...shaving with a DE is an art.
azscoob
Brewpub coming soon!
Nice! a Gillette Tech and an adjustable Fatboy? That is a nice combo indeed!
I love my early model Tech loaded with a Feather. the early Techs have the triangular holes as opposed to the rectangles of the later versions, it is also the most agressive of the Techs, this combined with the silly-sharp Feather results in a baby butt smoothe shave with no irritation.
I have the 8 dollar 'Shea Moisture' badger brush from Target and I am loving it, a proper prep and break-in got the brush shave ready in a day, I soaked it in dishsoap and hot water for 4 hours, rinsed well and repeated for another 4 hours, rinsed well and built some lather in a bowl and let the lather dry on the brush overnight. rinsed the next afternoon and there was NO wet-dog smell to the brush.
I would look into the blades and try them out in order of least to most agressive as far as sharpness. I have a couple feathers for getting a spectacular shave, but for everyday shaving I use the cheapie Walmart Wilkenson Sword blades, under 2 dollars per 10 pack, and I get a great daily shave from them after giving them a strop on a wine cork to smoothe the edge.
android
Well-Known Member
after first trying DE shaving, then going mostly SE shaving for a while, i'm back to DE... i love the closeness of SE shaving with one pass, but it can be a tad aggressive at times. i've been honing my technique on the DE razors (i have an old tech or aristocrat, i'm not sure which, and a 1960 Super Speed) both of which i've been enjoying with my apocalypse pack of 100 derby blades. i also recently ordered a sampler pack including sharks, feathers, 7 o'clocks, and a few others. but the 3 listed i'm interested to compare with the derbys.
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I am also becoming more fond of my cheap, drug store boar hair brush than I am of the Merkur silvertip. the coarseness of the bristles make for some easy to whip up foam, and I am less concerned about abusing that brush.
The mens shaving section at any drug store I have seen has gone to crap. I remember going with my grandfather a couple of times when I was a kid and he would carefully choose aftershave and shaving soap.
CHefJohnboyardee
Well-Known Member
So I broke into the sample Feathers I had for an interview... It taught me I was doing things wrong. Second shave with it was fine... glad I did the first one a day before the interview!
dataz722
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Feathers are one of the only ones that I still want to try. Just those and a couple other 7oclocks and I will have covered just about all I want to try.
dataz722
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I hate my cheap drug store brush. I am going to try and make a brush as soon as I have enough free time to go use my buddies lathe and decide what kind of wood I want to use.
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Yup. Pretty much have to find a specialty shop or just buy online. However, you should also consider the bath&body, bed, bath&beyond, et al..
I have found that many of those do have a small section of products for men. Usually CE Bigelow stuff which is really just Proraso.
azscoob
Brewpub coming soon!
I have been enjoying the CO bigelow shave cream, four drops of EVOO every time I build the lather, It has been the best addition to my process! I have taken to using the olive oil as a pre-shave if I am using hot towels when I cannot shave right out of the shower.
If you are looking for a good entry level brush, pick up a 'Shea Moisture' badger brush at Target, they are like 8 or 9 dollars, and after a good break-in cleaning I find it to be pretty nice, not silvertip soft but much nicer than a boar.
Some other things I have been doing lately:
I now strop the blades on a wine cork to smoothe out the blade prior to that first shave.
I keep my ceramic lather bowl (AKA rice bowl) on a coffee cup warmer between lathers to keep the lather nice and hot. I really enjoy having every application of lather being nice and warm.
I have gotten to know the random directions my beard grows in a bit better. It improved the quality of my shave a lot because I am no longer going ATG on a first pass where I should be going WTG. My neck hair changes direction mid-throat and was always tough to get BBS there.
If you are looking for a good entry level brush, pick up a 'Shea Moisture' badger brush at Target, they are like 8 or 9 dollars, and after a good break-in cleaning I find it to be pretty nice, not silvertip soft but much nicer than a boar.
Some other things I have been doing lately:
I now strop the blades on a wine cork to smoothe out the blade prior to that first shave.
I keep my ceramic lather bowl (AKA rice bowl) on a coffee cup warmer between lathers to keep the lather nice and hot. I really enjoy having every application of lather being nice and warm.
I have gotten to know the random directions my beard grows in a bit better. It improved the quality of my shave a lot because I am no longer going ATG on a first pass where I should be going WTG. My neck hair changes direction mid-throat and was always tough to get BBS there.
